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Law enforcement officials continue to investigate the scene of a shooting at the First Baptist Church of Sutherland Springs on Nov. 7, 2017, in Sutherland Springs, Texas. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
It’s hard to know what’s more disheartening, cops shutting down a church for daring to meet or the fear-mongering scolds cheering it on. Worse, this is the second time in mere days that Canadian cops have attempted to intimidate a church for daring to meet with social distancing.
Photos from Global 1
At dawn on Wednesday morning in Edmonton, Alberta – in an area that looks like it’s the middle of a prairie – Alberta Health Services police and cops with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) swarmed the GraceLife Church to cut off the building from its parishioners.
Everyone in Canada is now protected from the Alberta Grace Life Church parishioners and the pastor. Two fences and guards keep them all out.
You Canadians can all sleep well tonight. You are all protected from a pastor who likes to do good deeds and pray for people. Scary!
Dangerous guy!
The church first made headlines last month after their pastor, James Coates was jailed for violating lockdown orders on Mar 5. He was held for weeks before his release on Mar 22 but still faces an upcoming trial.
Sources familiar with the situation say that the premises were raided in the early morning.
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ALBERTA, Canada GraceLife Church, the Alberta church which made headlines for defying provincial pandemic-related lockdown orders, is being blocked off by police using roadblocks and fencing to prevent worshippers from reaching the building.
Roads blocked and fences going up around GraceLife Church this morning… pic.twitter.com/qSbLXRWKut
The church first made headlines last month after their pastor, James Coates, was jailed for violating lockdown orders on Mar 5. He was held for weeks before his release on Mar 22, but still faces an upcoming trial.
Sources familiar with the situation say that the premises was raided Wednesday in the early morning hours, Post Millennial reported.
The pastor of the Alberta congregation recently spent a month in jail for repeated refusals to comply.
Kate Shellnutt| Image: Justice Centre
Health officials in Alberta, Canada, made the decision to “physically close” a local church building until its leaders agree to finally comply with coronavirus regulations.
Police vehicles blocked entrances to the parking lot of GraceLife Church in Edmonton Wednesday morning and temporary fencing was erected around the building. The congregation has met normally since summer 2020, despite requirements that church gatherings limit capacity, require masks, and practice social distancing.
Over the last nine months, the province’s health department fielded more than 100 complaints about GraceLife and conducted 18 inspections, resulting in multiple fines and orders to comply. Its pastor was arrested and spent a month in jail refusing the conditions of bail, that he agree to follow health regulations.
Alberta Church Shut Down, Fenced Off for Non-Compliance With COVID-19 Restrictions
An Alberta church has been shut down and fenced off for continuing to hold services in defiance of the province’s COVID-19 public health restrictions.
On April 7, Alberta Health Services closed GraceLife Church and had police and security staff put up metal fencing around the building to prevent people from entering.
The Edmonton church will remain closed until it “can demonstrate the ability to comply with Alberta’s Chief Medical Officer of Health’s (CMOH) restrictions,” said AHS in a statement released the same day.
AHS said there have been 105 complaints about the church since last July.